Let’s talk coffee.
After getting back from church this morning, I automatically walked to my kitchen, filled my kettle with fresh cold water, and turned on the stove. You know what time it is? It’s coffee time.
I enjoy coffee, but I lie somewhere between those who drink it because they need it and those who drink it on occasion (i.e. to stay awake). I also lie somewhere between coffee snob and police station coffee drinker. While I do not enter myself in world barista championships, I do like to support our local coffee shops around the city. How can you pass up Vintage Heart Coffee’s iced vanilla latte or even Central Market’s regular hot coffee? I’m sorry, but my allegiance will never be with Starbucks. I am not a gold member (but Caroline is).
But I want to talk coffee because I’m in a bit of a dilemma. A couple of months ago, I broke my beloved french press. I bought that special one that Starbucks made (I can hear the irony, but I bought it because of the ‘special size’) and I chipped the glass. Upset by tragedy, I threw it away. What I later found out was that I could have easily replaced the glass. I thought they didn’t make replacement glass for that particular “model,” BUT THEY DID. Lesson learned… I guess.
Right now I brew my hot coffee in a makeshift pour-over-type-coffee-vehicle. You can see it in the picture above. And after seeing the price of french presses increase, I decided that perhaps this is an opportunity to explore other ways of brewing coffee. I didn’t expect there to be so many options. From different types of french presses to an Aeropress to a Chemex to different types of pour-over’s, I didn’t know of the various ways I could make coffee. I refuse to get a Keurig or a regular coffee machine; this is where I ask for your help. What do you use to make your coffee, people-that-make-coffee? Should I stick to a french press? Should I drop some mad $$$ for a Chemex? Those things aren’t cheap, but since I’m transitioning to buying things that last longer (aka might cost more), I figured that I should ask for the advice of the smart people around me.
I’m currently obsessed with “Houston Blend” coffee at HEB right now. Also, I will never stop putting condensed milk in my coffee (I love Vietnamese coffee, of course). But I need something cool and awesome to brew my coffee. HELP.
Thank you in advance,
Thu
thu, texas 
World Market has Chemex for $35! That will forever be my preferred option for brewing.
I am hearing more and more about Chemex, I think it’s going to be my next purchase. Thank you for the tip Kaylen!
Partial to the french press myself.
It’s so difficult to stray away from the familiar. Do you use a chrome or different type of french press or is your’s pretty standard? I always wondered if there was a difference
Many connoisseurs like to use this filter-less coffee press method so as to extract the essential oils within the beans to obtain the coffee. It has to do with the coffee grounds and the water known as steeping. The resulting coffee will be fuller as well as more robust. You can also obtain lighter style of the coffee by using the right kind of roast. It is certainly up to your preference. The French Press coffee enables you to retain the essential oil within the coffee even for the light flavor kinds of coffee. My french press is fairly standard. I really couldn’t state the advantages or disadvantages of any single brand of press. Rather I believe the magic to be in it’s method.
I’d have to admit that I’m an espresso snob. I’m an engineer and so I like the 19 bar pump and other wizardry behind pulling a perfect shot with nice cream. Since you are using condensed milk, have you tried condensed milk inside the chemex? Like a hybrid…
Condensed milk *inside* of the Chemex? I don’t have one (yet)! I just want something that will deliver me good coffee, I want to get an old espresso maker, that goes on a stovetop, do you have one?
I don’t have one of those but that’d be cool to have….something vintage. I have a breville machine with frother I use at home.
*Crema, stupid autocorrrct
Depends: for single cups I use those metal filters you would use at vietnamese restaurants, and if I’m cold-brewing I use my french press. I know you don’t drink Starbucks often BUT I like to get shots of espresso with white mocha and it tastes almost as good as cafe sua da.
That’s interesting about the white mocha, I haven’t had one in ages, but you’re enticing me to try one. How many espresso shots do you get in your’s?
I might’ve replied to my own comment lol
Usually three shots with two pumps.